PLANNING YOUR BAR Black Dog Photo Co. How long should service be available? Be sure to arrange for bar service that lasts as long as the reception itself (the average wedding reception lasts between four to six hours). Customarily, the bar will close during dinner service, which will save you money. Alcohol service should end an hour before the end of your reception, but you should make provi- sions for non-alcoholic beverages to be served until the reception is over. What are my drink options? You have a lot of options when it comes to your bever- ages! You can choose to have a full bar or simply serve wine and beer as a more cost-effective option. If you want to include liquor as an option but don’t want the cost of a full bar, consider concocting a signa- ture cocktail! If you’re holding a dry wedding, you can have more options than just water, soda, and tea. Try mixing things up with a mocktail! Pink lemonade spritzer, dry pomegranate cosmos, and virgin daiquiris are all great options to offer your guests! How much alcohol do I need? Remember that only your guests that are 21 or older will be drinking alcohol and that each guest will have on average 1 drink per hour. If you’re having 100 guests over the age of 21, you can assume that 50% of them will drink wine, 20% will drink beer, and 30% will have liquor of some kind. These numbers are flexible, though, and vary depending on your guests’ preferenc- es. Once you have your final guest list, use the calculator on page 50 to find out how much you need! There are a lot of variables and unknowns when it comes to bar service. What drink options should be provided? Who will be providing them? Is alcohol allowed at your venue? Will you have a champagne toast for everyone, or just the wedding party? QUESTIONS TO ASK Notes: Ask these questions: 1. Are we charged by the glass or by the bottle? Glass Bottle Other 2. Do you offer top-shelf liquor ? Yes No 3. If there are any bottles leftover, will we be refunded? Yes No Take the leftovers home 4. Is there a corkage charge? Yes No Fees: 5. How many bartenders will there be? How much for additional bartenders? 6. Do you supply other beverages? Water Coffee Tea Soda Juice Other 7. Is gratuity included in the package? Yes No How much? 8. Is a champagne toast included? Yes, for all guests Yes, bridal party only No 9. Do you close during meal service? Yes No Corkageisafeetoo en winethatyousupply Bar Service Cost Range: $1,000 to $8,000+ 48 | TODAY'S BRIDE 8-12 MONTHS UNTIL "I DO" BAR SERVICE